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About the Inter-Agency Standing Committee
The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) is a unique
inter-agency forum for coordination, policy development and decision-making
involving the key UN and non-UN humanitarian partners.
The IASC was established in June 1992 in response to
United Nations General Assembly Resolution
46/182
on the strengthening of humanitarian assistance. General Assembly Resolution
48/57 affirmed its role as the primary mechanism for inter-agency coordination
of humanitarian assistance.
Under the leadership of the
Emergency
Relief Coordinator, the IASC develops humanitarian policies, agrees on
a clear division of responsibility for the various aspects of humanitarian
assistance, identifies and addresses gaps in response, and advocates for effective
application of humanitarian principles.
Together with
Executive
Committee for Humanitarian Affairs (ECHA), the IASC forms the key strategic
coordination mechanism among major humanitarian actors.
» Primary Objectives
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To develop and agree on system-wide humanitarian policies
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To allocate responsibilities among agencies in humanitarian
programmes
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To develop and agree on a common ethical framework
for all humanitarian activities
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To advocate for common humanitarian principles to
parties outside the IASC
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To identify areas where gaps in mandates or lack of
operational capacity exist
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To resolve disputes or disagreement about and between
humanitarian agencies on system-wide humanitarian issues.
» Key Principles
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Overall Objective: The ultimate objective of
any decision should be that of improved delivery of humanitarian assistance
to affected populations.
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Respect for Mandates: The decisions of the
IASC will not compromise members with respect to their own mandates.
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Ownership: All members have an equal ownership
of the Committee and its subsidiary bodies.
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Subsidiarity: Decisions will be taken at the
lowest appropriate level.
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Impartiality of the Secretariat: The IASC is
serviced by a Secretariat, which does
not represent the interests of any member.
» Membership
According to General Assembly Resolution
46/182, the IASC should be composed of "all operational organizations
and with a standing invitation to the International Committee of the Red Cross,
the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and
the International Organization for Migration. Relevant non-governmental organizations
can be invited to participate on an ad hoc basis."
In practice, no distinction is made between "Members"
and "Standing Invitees" and the number of participating agencies has expanded
since inception of the IASC in 1992.
In fact, the strength and added value of the IASC lies
in its broad membership, bringing together all key humanitarian actors.
With regard to IASC membership, "operational" is defined
as having the following characteristics:
The IASC's overall objective is inclusive coordination,
while maintaining a relatively limited number of "members" to ensure functionality
and focus.
Membership is subject to a continuous review, and new
members are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Organisations aspiring to become
members are encouraged to contribute to the work of Subsidiary Bodies in their
area of specialization. Thereby, they can demonstrate their real commitment
and potential contribution to the IASC.
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